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Element 70 - Ytterbium (Yb)
From Ytterby, Sweden; discovered 1907. This element is still little ore than a laboratory curiosity. Along with the other rare earths, it turned up in the former U.S.S.R. in a mineral called gagarinite after the first astronaut. It is easily oxidized
Properties
Atomic Number
:
70
Atomic Weight
:
173.04
Electron Configuration
(at ground state):
1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
3d
10
4s
2
4p
6
4d
10
4f
14
5s
2
5p
6
6s
2
Oxidation States
(Bold most stable):
+3
, +2
Boiling Point
(K):
1469
Melting Point (K):
1092
Density
(at 300K -- g/cm
3
):
6.97
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm
3
/mol)
24.8
Number of stable
isotopes
:
7
Mass Number
(Bold naturally occurring) --
Half-Life
--
Disintigration Type
:
169 -- 32.0 days -- orbital
electron capture
175 -- 4.19 days --
beta particle
(
electron
) emission
Covalent Radius (Å):
1.70
Atomic Radius (Å):
1.94
First
Ionization Potential
(V):
6.254
Electronegativity
(Pauling's):
1.1
Specific Heat
Capacity (at 300K -- J g
-1
K
-1
):
0.155
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol):
128
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol):
7.7
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 10
6
-1
cm
-1
):
3.7
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m
-1
K
-1
):
34.9
Crystal Structure:
Cubic, face centered
Acid
-
Base
Properties:
Slightly basic